Hijab accused denied bail

SAMANTHA Kalloo, also known as Raqayah Mohammed, was arrested wearing her hijab shortly after a robbery incident and a shootout.

The mother of one-month-old twins appeared before a Siparia magistrate yesterday in her hijab and was later denied bail and remanded into custody charged with seven offences, including robbery and two counts of shooting at police.

The 24-year-old woman, who lives at San Juan, appeared before magistrate Margaret Alert who transferred some of the matters to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court for her to appear on today.

Wearing long pants, a T-shirt and a hijab, Kalloo appeared in the first court and was not called upon to plead. She was jointly charged with Justin Cardinez and Shakeel Cummings for robbing a businessman of cash, cigarettes, a cellphone and a laptop on December 4, at Timital Junction in Penal.

Two other joint charges are that on the same date, but at the northbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near the St Clement overpass in Ste Madeleine, the three had a Smith and Wesson gun and five rounds of ammunition.

Kalloo faced two counts of shooting at police – PCs Navin Boodram and Teluck Bhairosingh – with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm. She was also charged with having a gun and ammunition with intent to endanger lives. These four offences are alleged to have taken place at the northbound lane of the highway near Corinth.

Cardinez had two additional charges of shooting at Sgt Adesh Gookool and PC Shazim Khaleel with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm near the St Clements overpass.

Attorney Ramnarine Soorjansingh represented Kalloo and told the court his client is married with month-old twins. She has a pending matter for larceny. The two men were unrepresented.Prosecutor Sgt Starr Jacob objected to bail being granted to the three accused owing to the seriousness and nature of the alleged offences.

The magistrate adjourned the robbery matter to January 9. Alert transferred all other matters to today to be heard in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. ASP Ramdeen and PC Khaleel laid the charges.